Wine tastings at the cottage

Every year my brother hosts a family gathering at his cottage where we play a few rounds of golf, sample some great food and share a lot of laughs over a few glasses of wine. Late in the afternoon after golf is finished for the day I put together a wine tasting which I try to make both fun and challenging. Over the years I’ve done different wine tastings at the cottage to keep it fresh and interesting. For example, I did a wine tasting that compared the Chardonnay grape varietal across different continents, I also did a tasting called “Blend your own Bordeaux” where each person blended the three primary wines that make up a Bordeaux wine into their own personal style of wine. It’s always lots of fun and we sample some great wines.

The purpose of a wine tasting should always be about sharing our experiences with wine but most all it’s about having fun. This year at our family get together, I’m going to throw everyone a bit of a curve ball to test their wine skills. Stay tuned for the results of this year’s wine tasting.

2014 Deakin Estates, Viognier – Australia ($10.80 – LCBO 399253)

Viognier is a naturally softer wine with aromas of apricot and citrus. It’s a refreshing wine with lots of citrus and a smooth finish. This wine pairs well with BBQ shrimp or summer salads

A well rounded Cabernet Sauvignon without any harsh tannins. It has aromas of dark fruit, vanilla and some cassis with flavours like blackberry, some mocha and a nice smooth finish. This Cabernet Sauvignon paired well with a Steak Tournedo from Don’s Meat Market.